ASN Report 2017

57 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2017 Chapter 01  - Nuclear activities: ionising radiation and health and environmental risks microsieverts per year for the most exposed persons, particularly for certain jobs in sewage networks and wastewater treatment plants (IRSN studies 2005 and 2015). Legacy situations, such as atmospheric nuclear tests and the Chernobyl accident (Ukraine), canmake a marginal contribution to population exposure. Thus the average individual effective dose currently being received in metropolitan France as a result of fall-out from the Chernobyl accident is estimated at between 0.01 mSv and 0.03 mSv/year (IRSN 2001). That due to the fall-out from atmospheric testing was estimated in 1980 at about 0.02 mSv. Given a decay factor of about 2 in 10 years, current doses are estimated at well below 0.01 mSv per year (IRSN, 2015). With regard to the fall-out in France from the Fukushima Daiichi accident (Japan), the results published for France by IRSN in 2011 show the presence of radioactive iodine at very low levels, resulting in very much lower doses for the populations than those estimated for the Chernobyl accident, and having negligible impact. 3.2.2 Exposure of the population to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) Exposure due to natural radioactivity in drinking water. The results of the monitoring of the radiological quality of the tap water distributed to consumers carried out by the regional health agencies between 2008 and 2009 (DGS/ASN/ IRSN report published in 2011) showed that 99.83% of the population receives tap water whose quality complies at all times with the total indicative dose of 0.1mSv/year set by the regulations. This basically satisfactory assessment also applies to the radiological quality of the bottled water produced in France (DGS/ASN/IRSN report published in 2013). Exposure due to radon. Since 1999, it is compulsory to take periodic radon measurements in places open to the public, especially in educational institutions and healthcare and social institutions, due to the risk of lung cancer attributable to prolonged exposure to radon. Since August 2008, this compulsory monitoring has been extended to workplaces located in the priority geographical areas. On the basis of the results communicated by the ASN-accredited organisations for the 2016/2017 campaign, more than 95% of the screenings were carried out in educational institutions and healthcare and medical-social institutions (45% and 51% of screenings respectively). The radon activity concentration is lower than the action threshold of 400 Bq/m 3 in 78% of educational institutions and 84% of the healthcare and medical-social institutions screened. For the institutions in which the radon activity concentration exceeds 400 Bq/m 3 , simple remediation measures or works must be carried out to lower the radon activity concentration to below this threshold. Nearly 50%of the post-work inspections carried out by the ASN-accredited organizations confirmed that the radon activity concentration had been brought below the 400 Bq/m 3 threshold. The results of the inspections in places open to the public are not appropriate for precisely assessing the doses linked to exposure of the general public due to the fact that exposure in the home accounts for the largest part of the doses received during one’s lifetime. Informing and heightening the awareness of the public and the main actors concerned by the radon risk (regional authorities, employers, etc.) are therefore essential and are now entered as FOCUS The 3rd National Plan for Radon Risk Management In January 2017, ASN published the 2016-2019 National Plan for Radon Risk Management. In this new edition, informing and heightening the awareness of the public and the main stakeholders concerned by the radon risk (regional authorities, employers, etc.) are now top priority strategic directions. This strategy of informing and raising awareness is based on the new legislative measures adopted in 2016. These include two flagship measures: 1) making it obligatory to inform real-estate property buyers and renters of the health risks linked to radon in the home and 2) taking radon into account in the indoor air quality management system. DIAGRAM 4: Distribution of radon activity concentrations by type of institution screened (in %), 2016/2017 campaign Penitentiaries Healthcare and social institutions Educational institutions Spas 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 < 400 Bq/m 3 (%) > 1,000 Bq/m 3 (%) between 400 et 1,000 Bq/m 3 (%)